Krzysztof Harkawa has been moving a successful company for years, which in Silesia deals with repair and maintenance of steel machinery and equipment.
– Who of us, as a child, did not play with soldiers – asked rhetorically Mr Krzysztof. – In our small, 36-metre apartment, I had a shelf with soldiers and various figures, and as shortly as I could, I placed them on the floor, setting up my battles. In 2010, my colleague and I saw that no 1 in Poland produces them, and most of the available toys of this kind come from the Far East and are usually of mediocre quality. That's how Tissotoys came into being. At first I wanted to produce figurines in the country. I did my research, and it turned out that their price would be 2 or even 3 times higher, which is why I chose Asia. After researching online, I went to China. At the time we heard rumors that any factories have children working. That is why I personally visited respective of them before I decided to three, with which I have been working today. They are all located in the south, close Hong Kong. These are areas where not only state-of-the-art companies are located, but workers in fresh years gain as much as in Poland. But even though the price of production has increased respective times over the 14 years, it is inactive worth doing there.
It all starts with an idea. The owner decides which characters will be most successful. erstwhile he has made his choice, it is time for negotiations on licensing. Sometimes it's a long time to scope people with copyright, and that's just the beginning, due to the fact that we inactive gotta negociate a deal. usually this is simply a percent of the price for each figure sold. How high, the owner does not want to betray it, but most likely amounts to a fewer percent. The more popular the story, the higher the percentage. Disney's fairy tales were not taken into account, as the licence for them is very costly and even specified figurines produce companies almost all over the world.
That's why the choice was simple. Characters from Polish animated films proceed to enjoy generations of children, although any fairy tales, specified as “The Adventures of Bolk and Lolak” or “The Kidnapping of Balthazar Gąbka”, stopped producing more than half a century ago. In time, they were joined by characters from fairy tales produced by the labels in the erstwhile socialist block.
After all formal matters have been settled, you gotta decide what suit and what attitude the hero will best look like. The first drawings are created, which must be accepted by licence holders.
Then the drawings go to the sculptor, and on the basis of them he creates a three-dimensional figure from the plastic masses. As with the drawing, it must be accepted by both Mr Krzysztof and the copyright holders. Then the figurine is hardened, painted in the right colors and sent to China.
There are respective test figures made from hard resin, which are cut into pieces and each 1 forms (separate for each element). The average figure is made of respective parts. The most complicated is simply a hussar who has respective of them.
Then the forms produce ready figures. All made of PVC, phthalate-free plastic and another harmful substances.
The offer includes characters from 7 fairy tales: “The Adventures of Bolk and Lolak”, “Miś Uszekek”, “The Adventures of Baltazar Gąbka”, “Neighbours”, “The unusual Adventures of Koziołek Małok”, “Fairs of Moss and ferns” about the adventures of Zwirk and Muchomorek, “The Adventures of the Rumcajs Robber”. And besides 2 comic books: “Tytus, Romek and A’Tomek” and “Kajko and Kokosz”.
Additionally, there are figures from the “Trilogy”: Zagłody, Volodyjowski, Bohun, as well as 2 military figures: the Hussar and soldier II of the corps. In total, over 60 figures.
– Our offer besides included characters from the Russian fairy tale “Wilk and Hare”, but after Russia attacked Ukraine we suspended their production and sale.
The most popular ones are Bolek and Lolek, especially in the cowboy edition and as White-Red fans, although in this version we did not watch them on the screen, as well as Kajko and Kokosz and Rexio.
The company sells most of its production to warehouses, as well as to to toy stores, any fuel stations and bookstores, where the suggested retail price is 30 zł (the Hussar's and Trilogy heroes' figures are more expensive).
Each year Tissotoys sells up to 5 1000 copies/figures from each model, with a profitability of nearly 20%. In addition, Tissotoys besides offers keyrings, toolboxes and pendants with made figurines
– We're reasoning about expanding our offer, but it's a large risk. Characters from fairy tales are well known, the Hussar, who is the most costly in production, is alternatively addressed to older children. It is simply a pity that not only are good animated films produced for children today, but virtually no are made.
